For Promotional Use Only: Blue Eyes Meets Bed-Stuy

When Jay-Z released The Black Album the first thought of many music fans was “is there any connection to the Beatles White Album?” Soon after Danger Mouse cashed in, making a name for himself by creating the remix album that was already on the tips of so many tongues. In a matter of weeks The Grey Album was born, a generation gap was filled and Danger Mouse had more free publicity than you could shake a stick at. In the past few months there has been a new buzz in the realm of remixes featuring the only man that still ranks above Jay-Z on the list of all-time rap legends and a certain blue eyed pop culture icon. From the mind of Jon Moskowitz and produced by the up and coming DJ Cappel and Smitty comes Blue Eyes Meets Bed-Stuy, a mash–up of The Notorious BIG and Frank Sinatra.Blue Eyes Meets Bed-Stuy brings a fresh, new sound to some of The Notorious BIG’s greatest hits and executes the “mash-up” concept to perfection with amazing production and synchronization. While the concept of The Grey Album was driven more by the obvious coincidental album titles, BEMBS’ success stems from fact that Biggie and Sinatra’s music works so well together on so many levels. The piano and symphonic samples, Sinatra’s somber voice, and BIG’s relentlessly raw style and lyrics blend together so purely that one could easily forget that this is a remix album.

The album begins with the remix of “Juicy” and “New York, New York.” This sets off the concept perfectly by combining the most well known songs of both artists. It’s over the top and obvious but makes for an outstanding introduction. The next track which combines BIG’s “Everyday Struggle” and Sinatra’s “A Day In The Life Of A Fool” is subtle and seamlessly blended, epitomizing what a remix should encompass.

The level of quality is consistent throughout the entire album, displaying careful sampling and implementation unlike the sometimes off-color and offbeat feel of the seemingly rushed Grey Album. I spoke with Moskowitz soon after the surfacing of BEMBS. While he revealed to me that this project, much like The Grey Album, was something to help promote Cappel, Smitty, and himself, the trio has inadvertently created something that is sure to become a cult classic.